On March 18, the Karnataka Legislative Assembly announced the formation of a committee to recommend reforms for the Karnataka Public Service Commission (KPSC), which has been the subject of a scandal.
The state government has also announced measures, including an annual hiring calendar with strict timelines and a five-year recruitment plan, aimed at streamlining the KPSC's recruitment process.
Recently, allegations of malpractice have surfaced regarding the results of the KPSC's mains exams for gazetted probationers in group A and B, which were for 384 positions.
Concerns have been raised about the transparency of the selection process, with some candidates expressing concern that more than 10 to 15 candidates with continuous serial numbers, who took the exam in the same room at a center, had passed. Additionally, some candidates who appeared for the exam from the same family have also passed.
Revenue Minister Krishna Byre Gowda acknowledged the frustration among youth, stating that "they feel that the recruitment process is favoring those in power and the influential."
He added that the KPSC, a constitutional autonomous body, has become "a disappointment for all of us," and that the government has no control over its functioning.
The Minister said that following a discussion with the Chief Minister, the government has decided to set a timeline for the recruitment of Group C positions.
"We will direct the KPSC to complete the recruitment process within the specified timeframe. If necessary, we will consider including this provision in the law itself," he said, adding that the Group C recruitment process consists only of the exam, roster, and merit, and does not include an interview.
"Therefore, there should be no delays in this process."
Measures will be taken to ensure that the KPSC adopts the best practices of the Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA), Gowda said.
"There are no errors in the translation of the question papers. The KEA has a bank of 2,000 questions," he pointed out.
The KPSC maintains its status as an independent body with the autonomy to decide whether to follow the government's recommendations, he added, "the government will insist that this should be adopted."
Regarding the recruitment of gazetted probationers, the Minister said that recruitment should take place every year.
The concerned departments will decide the number of positions to be filled, in consultation with the Finance Department, he said. "We will set deadlines. For example, by December 31, all departments must inform the KPSC how many positions need to be recruited in the following calendar year, through the Chief Secretary and the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms (DPAR)."
"Every year, there will be a specific month, week, and day on which the KPSC should conduct an exam," he added, stating that a recruitment calendar similar to the UPSC will also be prepared, which will reduce the pressure on job aspirants and minimize legal disputes.
The Minister further stated that the Finance Department and DPAR will prepare a five-year recruitment plan with an "advance calendar."
"We have data to forecast how many vacancies will arise in the coming years. Based on that, the finance department has in principle agreed to prepare a 5-year recruitment calendar," he said.
Gowda noted that there is room for reform, and the government proposed forming a house committee to suggest further reforms for the KPSC.
"The committee will submit a report by the next session, based on which reforms can be taken up."
After the opposition accepted the proposal, Speaker U T Khader announced that a House Committee would be formed shortly.
The KPSC currently has about 15-18 members, while the UPSC has only about four to six members.
The Minister said that the government decided to reduce the KPSC membership to 8, but this will take effect over time as existing members retire.
"As KPSC members cannot be removed directly, impeachment is the only process available. With members retiring, by May 2027, the commission's membership will naturally come to 8," he added.
Senior BJP MLA Suresh Kumar suggested that the government and the House should impeach KPSC members facing serious allegations.
Leader of the Opposition R Ashoka demanded that a Special Investigation Team (SIT) be constituted to investigate the irregularities in the KPSC.
He suggested that based on the SIT probe report, the House should impeach the KPSC members who are at fault.
However, Minister Gowda said that the government is open to investigating if there were any specific cases.
In response to some members suggesting the cancellation of the mains examination for gazetted probationers amid allegations of malpractice, the Minister said that the KPSC's investigation, based on CCTV footage and records, suggests that there were no malpractices. However, the government was open to examining if there are genuine concerns.
"Cancelling exams solely based on suspicion would be unfair to the candidates."